Budget tour

By Charles Ashby

Legislative Democrats are planning a "listening tour" around the state this weekend to talk to voters about the state's budget woes.

Currently, the state is facing a $1.2 billion revenue shortfall for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1. Though Senate President Brandon Shaffer, D-Longmont, is hopeful some positive things will be revealed in this Friday's revenue forecast, the one the Legislature bases its next budget on, others still expect to have to cut the state's spending plan by millions.

Because the tour really isn't a tour because it just involves local Democrats in their own House districts, there won't be one in Grand Junction (they only have Republican lawmakers.)

As a result, the nearest one will be in Glenwood Springs at the Garfield County Administration Building, 108 8th St., Ste. 100. It is actually only one of two events on the Western Slope.